theyr mindes douting with what company they may ioyn themselues in felowship For while some boast of one maister and some of another glorying of his wisdom and godlynesse not without contempt of others whom they outface with their lofty lookes it coÌ„meth to passe that according as they perceiue any maÌ„ affectioned towards them to holde with them or ageinst them so they with blind iudgement commend or discommende his doctrine and Religion Héereuppon growe hartburnings froward suspicions hatred fallings out and desire of reuenge wherthrough all things are turned vpsidedowne And from hence to passe ouer other things with silence springeth a double pleasure For both the enemies of the Gospell are boldned in theyr stubbornesse and vngodlinesse and also the weaker and vnskilfuller sort which earst were more forward in imbracing of the truth are not a litle trobled wauering and vncertein too whether part they were best too ioyne themselues â–ª AmoÌ„g whom not a few as though nothing certein could be taught or determined of all the whole Religion begin too dout not only of al the partes of it but also of all maner of Religions In this case it is our duetie my déere brethren too succor the weake bothe with our Prayers and aduertisements that they stumble not at this huge heape and dunghill of opinions and so fall headlong intoo certeine destruction The best remedie for this mischéefe is to marke the continuall consent of the Catholike church in Doctrine and in the true seruice of God For as there is but one God so is there also but one euerlasting stedfast and infallible truthe of God one true religion one faith one rule wherby to liue well and one Church of Chryst which only knoweth the true maner how too serue God aright He that is not a Citizen of this Churche is falne from grace and saluation though he boast himselfe too haue neuer so great maisters Contrarywise he that in this Church woorshippeth God in spirit and truthe â–ª is the heir of grace and saluation though he had but a Cow-herd too his maister or teacher For this matter hangeth not vpon the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of man but vppon the mastership of Chrystes spirit whose wil is that his pure and vncorrupt woord should be oure rule of life saluation In the which woord and woorshipping taught in the woorde there hath bin a most sound and perfect consent of all the holy Patriarkes before the flud and after the flud of the Prophets and Apostles yea and of al godly men Whâ—se doctrin and manner of worshipping if wée holde aright wée may lawfully glorie in Chryste that wée are Citizens of the Churche of Iesu Chryst althoughe the whole world hated vs and abhorred vs as Heretikes I méene therefore brethren too say somewhat concerning this contynuall agréement too the intent wée may bée assured in our selues whither wée bée in that consent of the Catholike Church or not or whither oure aduersaries bée in it who making greatâ— braggs of theyr maysters whom they call fathers endeuer with sword and fire too stop the course of the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles In the handling of this matter many things surely do méete which all ame as it were at this one marke For of necessitie it must come héere in question from whence true religion hathe his begynning and what assurance is therof how great hath bin the consent of the church in the same doctrine through all ages by what sleights Sathan is woont too assault the true religion and finally what aduisednesse the Godly ought too vse ageinst the treasons and crafts of Sathan least as oure first parents did wee suffer our selues too bée led with faire words from the fountains of saluation too the Diuels puddles that is too mens traditions and wilworshippings Wée should not néede to shew from whence true religion hath his beginning but that the rage of men and féends bothe hath bin in olde time and is at this day so greate that they durst set vp newe religions after the blynd imagination of their owne brayn maynteyning them with swoorde and fyre and persecuting that Religion whiche is onely of God that they may fulfil the prophecie whiche was spoken of the serpents séede that should byte the héele of the womaÌ„s séede But muche more rightly than these iudged that heathen man Socrates who being demaunded in Xenophon which was the true religion answered It was that whiche God himselfe had appointed â–ª For in as muche as the Lord sayth playnly by his Prophet that he abhorreth the doctrines and worshippings of men Let vs be out of all doute that the true and continuall abyding Religion hath his beginning from the euerlasting God himselfe Apollo Pithius béeing asked of the Atheniens what religions they shoulde chéefly folow answered those that their auncetors had vsed When they obiected ageyn that the custome of their auncetours had oftentimes bin chaunged hée sayde that the best was too bée folowed For as Hesiodus sayeth the auncient custome is euer best After the same maner our aduersaries in these dayes boast of antiquitie vtterly suppressyng the name of the author of true Religion where as they oughte rather too aunswere as Socrates did than as the wicked féend did For like as Sathan abused the authoritie of antiquitie to stablish errors so do they True it is in déede y t the auncientest religion is best so as it haue his beginning from God who is best and not from the olde serpent who froÌ„ the first beginning brought into the worlde his Religion fighting full but ageinst the religion of God Wherefore there is a distinction too bée made betwéene the twoo Antiquities For the one antiquitie is referred too God and the other too Sathan The first of these antiquities is the auncientest of all antiquities as which hath neither beginning nor shall haue ending Out of this most ancient antiquitie sprang the truth of God whereby is taught whiche is the true Religion for the confirmation whereof God hath added woonderfull recordes which should bee as it were certeyne euerlasting and authorised seales of his heauenly truthe The later antiquitie is such a one as both had beginning and shall haue ende out of which issued all superstition and vngodlynesse Either of these religions hath his furtherers and as it were certeine Patriarks whome the men of late yéeres haue termed fathers of whome they glorie not a litle The Papists haue alwayes in theyr mouthe the Fathers the Fathers And in all controuersies concerning the doctrine and seruice of GOD they flée to them as too theyr last Anchor-holde Wee also acknowledge the Fathers howebéeit farre after another manner than they doo For wee admitte those for Fathers who hauing receiued theyr Religion at Gods hande haue also deliuered the same faythfully too posteritie as are the Patriaks holy Kings Prophetes Chryst himselfe and the Apostles These onely doo wée reuerence as fathers and too vary from them in opinion wée iudge it a
be made a iestingstocke too the people his doctrine bée defamed his aucthoritie bée abased and he at last bée haled too punishment as a blasphemer ageinst God an heretike euill dooer Yée sée the drifte of the Pharisies counselling toogither In the thirde place foloweth what manner of deuise they founde out It lyked these good councellers too sende their disciples with Herodes seruauntes A very suttle fetche that they might haue witnesses present too report his errande too Herode if he had sayde ought that afterwarde might scarce bée wel lyked of These their disciples had they noozeled thorowly in hypocrisie that they might bée the fitter too deceyue For none deceyue men â—ooner than those that outwardly pretende holynesse and curtesie when priuily they purpose too beguyle Fourthly the coÌ„munication of those hypocrites is described in this wise Maister vvee knovve that thou speakest the truth and teachest the vvay of the Lorde aright and that thou carest not for any man This is the beginning of their talke which surely if thou looke vpon the woordes is most apt For it conteyneth two things First they acknowledge him too bée their master and afterwarde they attribute vntoo him the vertues whiche a faythfull teacher ought too haue WheÌ„ they acknowledge him too bée their master their méening is too séeme not his enimies but his fréends or rather his disciples and such as had great desire too learne at his hande And when they attribute vntoo him the vertues that a true teacher ought too haue they craftely wynde them selues in with him too the intent he shold beléeue they ment him no harme But there is no deuise there is no wisedome ageinst the Lord. And what are those vertues which they attribute vntoo Chryst The first is the loue of truthe Wée knowe saye they that thou arte true The seconde is certeyntie of doctrine And that say they thou teachest the way of God aright And the thirde is stedfastnesse and stoutnesse of minde And thou carest for no man say they Wherfore Bicause thou respectest not any mans persone and this is the fourth vertue for thou say they regardest not any maÌ„s person These foure vertues are great and are required of all Gods ministers The loue of trueth dryueth away the darknesse of ignoraunce and maketh the truth too shine out cléere The certeintie of doctrine makes vs that wée bée not tossed too and fro with the windes of variable doctrine nor flote in the fondnesse of false reports Stedfastnesse stoutnesse of mynde make a man inuincible in his office When the teacher hathe no respecte of any mennes persones it maketh that the truthe can not bée suppressed for feare or for any other thing These vertues dooth the Lorde attribute too Iohn the Baptist and the sequele shewed that hée was endued with them in déede For when Herode had taken away his brother Philips wife Iohn boldely withstoode him not fearing the persone or state that Herode bare For hée sayd It is not lawfull for thée too haue thy brothers wife For which thing he was put too death within a while after Such vertues had Helias also who resisted the wicked King Ahab and sayd openly too his face It is thou and thy fathers house that trouble Israell But as for those that doo not this are more rightly too be called hirelings than true shepherds Hithertoo concerning the practises of Hypocrites ageynste Chryste ¶ Of the second NOw foloweth their question wherewith they thinke too catche suche hold of Chryst that he cannot shift away froÌ„ them Is it lavvfull say they too pay Tribute vntoo Caesar or no Héere they thoughte that of necessitie and simplye hée must haue aunswered one of these twoo things eyther that it was lauful or not lawful If he had sayd it had bin lawful he should haue displeased the people vpon whom the Emperor had layd this burthen ageinst their willes so the Pharisies might haue had a gap opened to destroy him wheÌ„ the people had abandoned him And if hée had sayd it had not bin lawful Herods seruantes were at hand too cary him foorthwith as a seditious person too bée punished What dooth the Lord then too this questioÌ„ He dooth twoo things First he rebuketh theÌ„ and afterward hee assâ—yleth their question Iesus sayeth the Euangelist perceyuing their vvickednesse sayd vvhy tempt you mee yee Hipocrites Héere they found true by their own experience the thing that they had spoken too him before in the way of flatterie thou respectest not the persons of men The solution too their question hée framed in this wise Shevv mee a peece of the tribute money and they shevved him a pennie VVhose image and inperscription is this sayeth hee They sayd vntoo him Caesars Then sayd he vntoo them Giue therfore vntoo Caesar the things that are Caesars vntoo God those things that are Gods The question is answered in such wise as that neyther our Lord suppresseth the truth nor the Pharisies haue any holde too picke quarels too him Wherfore béeing confounded they wondered went their wayes So little can any deuise or any craftinesse preuaile ageinste the Lord. But what dooth this answere of Chrystes teache vs First it putteth a difference betwixte Cesars kingdome and Gods kingdome that is betwéene the kingdome of the worlde and the Church Ageine it putteth a difference betwéene the persones that are chéefe of these twoo diuers kingdomes Also it teacheth that obedience is too bée perfourmed in bothe kingdomes that is too say that God must haue his seruice in his spirituall kingdome and that due dutifulnesse must bée performed too the ciuil magistrate In this place I should shewe what is due too God and what too the ciuil magistrate Howbéeit forasmuche as I haue often héeretofore entreated of the seruice of GOD I wil now speake héere onely of the Magistrate too the intente wée may bée put in minde how godly opinion wée ought too haue of the magistrate I will therefore say fiue things concerning the Magistrate First froÌ„ whence hée is and what hée is Secondlye what conditions ought too â—elong too a good Magistrate Thirdly what is his dutie and what are the endes of the ciuill gouernemente Fourthlye what right the Magistrate hath vppon the bodies and goodes of his Subiectes And fiftly what the Subiectes owe too their Magistrate The first that I purposed that is too wit from whence and what the Magistrate is is declared by Paule in the thirde too the Romaines where hée teacheth that the Magistrate is of God For there is no power sayth hée but of God and the powers that are are ordeyned of God Which thing truely is too bée vnderstoode of the rightfull gouernement and not of the confusion that is oftentimes séene in states of gouernement for mennes wickednesse Therefore as long as good Magistrates guyde the helme wée sée God after a sort present with vs and ruling vs by the hande of those whom he hath sent ouer vs. Contrarywise where
¶ A Postill or Exposition of the Gospels that are vsually reâ— in the churches of God vpon the Sundayes and Feast dayes of Saiâ—â—s Written by Nicholas Hemingâ—â— Dane a 〈◊〉 the â—â—spell in the Vniuersitie of Haâ—nie And translated into English by Arthur Golding 〈…〉 of the same 〈…〉 the Ministers of 〈…〉 the continuall agrement of 〈…〉 the doctrine and true worshipping of God â–ª least any being offended at the varietie of opinion◠〈…〉 of sectes might either forsake their profession or do their duetie more slouthâ—â—â—ly ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for Lucas Harrison and George Byshop TO THE RIGHT honorable S r. Walter Myldmay Knight ChauÌ„celour of the Queenes Maiesties Courte of Eschequer one of hir highnesse most honorable priuie Counsell Arthur Golding wisheth helth prosperitie with ful perfection of all Chrystian knowledge and Godlinesse IT is and alwayes hath bin the custome of godly and well disposed Wryters too imploy theyr time and trauaile too the maintenaunce of vertue and Godlinesse and too the furtherance of suche as are willing for too learne Whiche thing appeereth by the manyfolde woorkes of suche as in tymes paste too theyr owne great paynes our ease haue searched out not onely the groundes of those things that naturall reason is able too reache vntoo but also the misteries of suche matters as haue neede of the light and secret woorking of a higher and more diuine power than reason is Whereby they haue lefte vntoo vs a plaine and pleasaunt pathway vntoo all knoweledge and vnderstanding and the neerer that euery of them approcheth vntoo the truthe the greater commendation doothe hee deserue too haue and the greater profit yeeldeth hee too his Reader But neyther is there any certeintie in mortall mennes woorkes so long as they speake but of their owne Neyther is there any assured truthe too bee founde elsewhere than in the woord of GOD. Wherefore like as Gods woorde is the fountayne of truthe the keye of knoweledge and the lanterne of lyghte or rather the very truthe knoweledge and light it selfe So is cheefe or rather only account too be made of their authoritie and doctrine whiche vnderstanding the same arighte doo sette it foorth purely and sincerely eyther by preaching or wryting too the behoofe and commoditie of others For the scripture accounted him a leude seruaunt that hidde his Talent in the grounde and occupyed it not And certeine it is that hee hathe the true vnderstanding and sense of the Scripture whose interpretation beeing alwayes one without varyablenesse agreeth with the groundes of our fayth wyth the meaning of the holye Ghoste vttered in the whole bodye of the Byble and with the vniforme iudgemente and opinion of the Primatiue Churche Of suche teachers hathe GOD at all times raysed vp some and in these dayes hathe giuen many too his Churche whiche labouring like good woorkemen in the Lordes Vineyarde endeuer for too cutte vp the Brambles and Bryers of Ignoraunce Errour Hypocrisie and Superstition nowe long time rooted in the hartes of Christians and in steade of them too plant ageine true knoweledge feare of GOD holynesse and religion vntoo the aduauncement of Gods glory and enlarging of Chrystes kingdome and too the vtter ouerthrowe of Antichryste and Sathans tyrannie Suche a one is the author of this presente woorke Nicholas Heminge a Mynister of Gods woorde in the Vniuersitie of Hafnia in Denmarke who wrate this Postill in Latine for the helpe and furtheraunce of his fellowe Mynisters Wherein hee opening the Gospelles after the maner of our Prophecyings setteth foorth a Confirmation of the Articles of oure beleefe and confuteth the cheefe errours heresies and abuses wherwith the Church is troubled Ageine he teacheth the ryght vse of Chrystes Gospell and Sacramentes and sheweth the frute of the miracles and examples of Chryst and of all holy men Moreouer he toucheth the dueties of all Estates from the Magistrate too the poore afflicted outcast among men and declareth the right vse of things indifferent Finally hee instructeth the minister and comprehendeth the whole summe of Christian lyfe and doctrine And these things doth he both breefly playnly distinctly and orderly which are great helpes of remembraunce And also aptly fully pithely and learnedly which are great furtherances too instruction As for the Doctrine that he teacheth it is sound and wholsome in which respecte he deserueth credit and estimation Besides this he applyeth himselfe too the capacitie and edifying of the simple and weaker sorte whome he rather dieteth with sweete milke than combereth with strong meates And in this respect he dooth as it were glaunce ouer certaine poyntes of deepe misterie leauing them too the consideration of suche as are more profounde in knowledge and vnderstanding and growne too more perfection and ripenesse in Christ. Yet wanteth he not whereby the wyser and stronger sort also may bee furthered For he hath diuers wordes that cary the effect of whole sentences and sentences that conteine large matters By bothe which he oftentimes giueth incling of more too be gathered than is openly expressed and so dooth he bothe sharpen the witte and open the vnderstanding Therfore at suche time as Lucas Harison and George Bishop Stacioners men well mynded towards godlynesse and true Religion taking vppon them too Imprint this woork at their proper charges requested mee too put the same intoo English I willingly agreed too their godly desire bothe for that I hoped it might bee a furtherance and helpe too the simple and vnlearned sorte of our ministers in England of whom would God the knowledge were as great as is their number And also for that I thought it a meete occasion whereby I might testifie my duetyfull good will towardes youre honoure for your great goodnesse extended vntoo mee at the commendation of your deere freende and my speciall well willer Sir Thomas Smith To whome I thinke my selfe in many respects greatly beholding and yet in no one respect more than for procuring mee an entraunce intoo your honorable fauour The continuance whereof God willing I shall not cease too seeke by all wayes and meanes of dutie of which I beseeche you too accepte this Booke as a first hansel and to suffer this my trauell so necessarie behooffull too passe foorth vnder your fauourable protectioÌ„ to the profit of our comon couÌ„trey and the glorie of GOD. Written at London the .xij. of October ANNO. 1569. ¶ Too all the seruaunts of God and Ministers of Iesu Chryst his deere beloued brethren in Chryste within the famous Realmes of Denmark and Norvvey Nicholas Heminge Minister of the Gospell in the vniuersitie of Hafnie wisheth grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from our Lorde Iesu Chryste IT is very behooueful right déere beloued brethren too marke the continuall consent of Chrystes Catholike Churche in the doctrine and true seruice of God specially in this moste great varietie of opinions which maketh many and those not of the woorst sort too bée troubled in
sayde vntoo him they haue no vvyne Iesus saide vntoo hir vvoman vvhat haue I too doo vvith thee Myne houre is not yet come His Moother sayd vntoo the ministers vvhatsoeuer he sayeth vntoo you doo it And there vvere standing there .vj. vvaterpoâ—s of stone after the maner of purifying of the Ievves coÌ„teyning ij or .iij. firkins a peece Iesus sayd vnto them fil the vvaterpots vvith vvater And they filled them vp too the brim And hee sayd vntoo them dravv out novv and beare vntoo the gouernour of the feast and they bare it VVhen the ruler of the feast had tasted the vvater turned into vvine and knevv not vvhence it vvas but the ministers vvhich drevv the vvater knevv he called the Bridegrome and sayd vnto him Euery man at the beginning doth set forth good vvine and vvhen men be droonk then that vvhich is vvorsse but thou hast kept the good vvine vntill novve This beginning of myracles dyd Iesus in Cana of Galilee and shevved his glorie and his disciples beleeued on him The exposition of the text THis Gospell is a parte of the storie of Christ wherin hée manifesteth his glorie at a Mariage For by the miracle of wine hée bothe vttereth his owne diuine nature and gyueth an incling of his office signeth vp the truth of his doctrine as it were with some heuenlie Seale His own deuine nature hée declareth in this that hée changeth the natures of things by his woord for at his commaundement the water béecoÌ„meth wine His office hée sheweth in that hée helpeth the néedie when hée is sought vntoo The certeintie of his doctrine hée dooth as it were seale with this miracle For least any man should doubt of the certeintie of his doctrine which is heauenly hée woorketh a heauen-woork which beareth witnesse with his doctrin wherby his Disciples are confirmed in his faith Now the places that wée wil intreate of in this Sermon are these foure 1 Of the solemnitie of the Mariage 2 Of the Mariage it selfe then finished and confirmed 3 Of the present miracle with the circumstances therof 4 Of the examples of life that may be deriued fro y e same ¶ Of the firste SIth I entreat of mariage I wil speake of these things in order First betwéene what persons nature godlynesse alloweth mariage Secondly what way those that will bée man wife must atteÌ„pt mariage Thirdly what manner of consent of whom it ought too bée Fourthly why it is méete that the assurance should bée made in the open assembly of the Church And fifthly what maner of feast ought too bée at a mariage In the persons of folks that contract mariage four things are too be looked vntoo namely kinred aliance religion and naturall strength which are requisite in mariage As touching kynred and alyaÌ„ce they are to be kept from matching in wedlock which are within the degrées of kinred and alyance that is prohibited in Leuiticus Moreouer it is in no wise lawfull too stayne the degrées prohibited by the ciuill magistrate And with what reuereÌ„ce mariages ought too bée made the déed of Abraham and of other holy men the prohibition of Paule and the perils or rather the dreadful falles of many doo declare At such time as Abraham was about too choose a wife for his sonne Isaac he gaue commandement too Eléezer the Steward of his house that he should not take vntoo his sonne a wife of the daughters of the Cananites but that he should go too his own kinred and froÌ„ thence take a wife too his sonne Isaac For Abraham knew how greate mischief diuersitie of religion bréedeth in a housholde For herevpon spring strife blasphemies and hinderance of woorshipping and calling vpon God The prohibition of Paule is that wée draw not the yoke with the vnbeléeuing Which thing is too be vnderstood not only of doctrine but of all trade of life He that toucheth pitch sayeth Salomon shall bée defiled therewith For it can not bée but that he which kéepeth coÌ„pany with the vngodly must néedes himself gather some infection therby Perilles and many horrible falles ensue vppon vnméete matches witnesse therof is Salomon who by kéeping company with Heathen women became an Idolater Witnesse Achab whoo through the counsell of wicked Iezabell becam so mad that he feared not too slea Gods Prophets at length fell headlong intoo eternal destruction so muche is a wicked woman able too doo Adde herevntoo the bringing vp of children which cannot bée as it ought to bée when the parents are of sundry religions For then shal the children becom either altogither heathenishe and despisers of all religion or else hypocrits wheÌ„ they shall not dare bée acknown what they thinke for feare either of the father or mother Fourthly it is required in persons that shall contract mariage that the one beguile not the other as when eyther by sicknesse or by coldnesse the strength of any of the parties is forespent or else that there bée a default in nature so as a man bée not méete or sufficient to yelde the beneuolence of mariage As for the way that such as méene too bée couples ought too take in making their mariage Examples godlinesse honestie doo teache For these thrée things toogither teach that matches are not too be made vppon lightnesse as oftentims they bée nor among cups nor for lustfull liking Abraham séeketh a wife for his sonne the parents of Rebecca consent Afterward the consent of the maide is sought and so Isaac marieth hir to his wife Iacob serueth Laban a long time he breaketh with the fréends of the mayde for mariage and when he had gotten their good wil he wan the chast consent of the mayd Godlinesse counselleth the same thing also For as the fourth precept commandeth the parents too bée honored so méeneth it also that this honor should bée yéelded vntoo parents that they make the mariages of their children that the children should in this behalf attempt nothing with contempt of their parents This also doth nature tel al men too the intent the match may bée honest which cannot be ended or broken but by death Now after that all things are in this wise lawfullye attempted then it behoueth too go néerer too the matter mutual consent of theÌ„ that contract is too be heard whiche must in no wise be constreyned but must be frée that neither part may iustly say he was compelled For although it be according too right too begin with the parents yet it is not lawful for the parents too compel them whither they wil or no. For besides that constreyned mariage is no mariage this mischéefe ensueth thereupon that in suche matches the matter seldome taketh good successe Why it is conuenient that the assurance should bée made openly in the assembly of the churche there bée foure causes First that those which are knit in wedlock may know theÌ„selues too haue place in the Churche Secondly that they whiche shal be man and wife may
is the office of Chryst too sowe that is too say too teache rightuousnesse and eternall saluation Fourthly that no man can become good séede that is too say be iustified and renued too eternall life without Chryst the sower Secondly in as much as the world is called Christs féeld many things are offered vs too thinke vpon Firste that no any one kingdome of the worlde not Italie not Greece not Iewrie no nor any other nation vnder the sunne can claime too it self alone too bée the Lords féeld For all y e whole world is that féelde wherein Chryst the sower soweth this séede Wherfore like as no nation no nor any may iustly coÌ„plain that he is shut out of the kingdom of heauen so no people caÌ„ as I sayde chalenge this glorie too it selfe alone Secondly héere it is séene that Gods mercie is infinite whoo offereth Chrystes benefites that is too wit wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption too all men throughoute the wide world Thirdly It is to be obserued why the world is called a feld For vnder this Metaphor is signified that manuring is néedfull For as this féeld is too bée tilled by the preaching of repentance so is it also too bée watered with the blood spirit of Chryst otherwise the séede is choked and so perisheth The séede in this place signifieth both that which is sowen and that which groweth What is sowen Chrysts Gospell which as it offreth frée remission of sinnes so it requireth a continuall repentance This séed that is too say Christes Gospell the féeld receyueth by fayth But it is cherished and preserued by the holy Ghost that it bée not drowned by the stormes of the fleshe and of persecution and so die and come too naught Ageyne that which commeth of the séede is called séede also namely the Wheate it selfe that is too say the children of God For the woord of God or the Gospell is that incorruptible séede whereof wée growe ageyne the children of God This therfore is the description of the kingdome of Heauen that is too say of Gods Church in this world Wherby wée are taught first that the Church is not the woork of any other man than of the Sonne of God And therefore right fonde is the Pope when hée braggeth himself too bée the sower of this Church And secondly that this Church is not builded by mans doctrine but onely by the Gospell of Iesus Chryst which whosoeuer doo teach purely are the woorkfelowes of Chryst the sower ¶ Of the seconde THis Parable teacheth that Chrystes kingdome shall always haue enimies in like wise as the first promis also telleth in the third of Genesis The séede of the serpent shall lie in waite for the séede of the woman How true this is the storie of the Church from thenceforth that the séed was promised vntoo this present day teacheth vs. Whersoeuer is an Abell there is also some a Cain Wheresoeuer is an Isaac there is also an Ismaell Where as is a Iacob there is also some Esau or other Whereas is a Dauid there is also a Saule Whereas is a Christ there is also a Iudas Wheras is Paul there is also some Nero. And wée must not looke too haue it otherwise For Sathan lieth alwayes in waite for Christes churche whiche he endeuoreth eyther vtterly too abolishe or els too defile it with wicked doctrine and maners But when come the enimies When men sleep then commeth the enimie and soweth Darnell By this sléepe are noted both the ministers of the woord and also the héerers therof The ministers of the woord are sayde too sléepe when they doo not their dutie faithfully in teaching things that are holsome in admonishing those that séeme too bée slouthful in rebuking those whom they sée not too walke the right way too the truth of the Gospel in comforting the fearful consciences and in confuting erronious opinions whiche fight with the foundation that is too say the articles of our faith The hearers also are sayde â—oo sléepe when they eyther heare the woord negligently or else were colde and by little and little fallaway as wée sée many doo now a dayes When men sléepe so then commeth the enimy and that bicause hée is the enimy of Christe whose kingdome that is too say the Churche hée desireth too wast and too enlarge his owne kingdome by lying and murder What dooeth the ennimie Hée soweth in the Lordes féelde What First false and hereticall doctrine fighting ageinst the Articles of oure faithe And this practise hée béegan in Paradise continuing it on stil in all ages For whersoeuer the true and sincere doctrine of the gospel is preched there also is the enimie at hand too poyson the fountaines of our Sauiour with his owne venim least men should drawe saluation out of the pure fountaines of our Sauioure Secondly hée soweth contempt of the woord in many Of these séedes spring vp Darnel that is too say naughtie children as are first Hipocrites secondly Sophisters thirdly Tirants fourthly blasphemers and fifthly wicked men And all these knitting their powers toogither assault the church that is too say that little séelie flocke of Christes But what meaneth it that he sayth that the enuious man hauing cast his séede of Darnel in the Lords féelde went his way Dooth the Deuil depart from Hipocrites Sophiâ—ters â–ª and Tirants In no wise But he is therefore sayd too go his way for that he putteth on another face He wil not séeme an enimie but the spirite of God an Angel of light as it is 〈◊〉 be séene in the Anabaptists whoo make great boast of Gods spirit and of secret Reuelations when as notwithstanding they be deceyued by the sleights of Sathan And so this second place teacheth 〈◊〉 that the church hath hir enimies euen in the middes of the féelde that is too say in the outward societie of the church Secondly it admonisheth vs that wée consent not to our enimies Thirdely that wée may learne too descerne the enimies from the true Citizens of the Church Fourthly it warneth vs that after the example of many we should not eyther altoogither fal vtterly 〈◊〉 the Churche or bée offended at the calamitie of the Churche whiche in this life is set open too the iniuries of so many enimies ¶ Of the third THe seruants come too the master of the houshold and say Diddest thou not sovve good seede in thy 〈◊〉 By this 〈◊〉 of the seruants too the â—aister of the house 〈◊〉 the prayer of the godly for the Churche ageinst sects stumbling blocks in the Church For as the godly doo continually pray for the prosperitie and welfare of the Church so doo they prayâ— that no euill or hurteful things may befall it which thing is too â—panâ— euery where in Dauids Psalmes Aske those things saith hée which are for the 〈…〉 so mighte they prosper that peace of Hierusalem wise Let mine enimies 〈◊〉 confounded sayeth hée and let them bée destroyed that would mée euil Also
First séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse of God and afterward séeke the rest of things necessary too liue by I will obey this commaundement of my Lorde assuring my selfe that he wil verily performe that which he hath promised how much so euer reason the whole worlde grudge ageinst it and endeuer too ouerturne this order appointed by Chryst. God féedeth the birdes and why should he not féede mée that am obedient to him He giueth mée a body and why should he not giue me rayment He giueth mée life and why not foode He giueth euerlasting things and why not temporall things Whosoeuer therefore is godly must folowe this rule of Chryst First séeke Gods kingdom and his rightuousnesse and all things else shall bée cast vnto you But alas for sorrow many offende ageinst this rule For first they offende whiche not onely héere not the woorde of God them selues but also are a let vntoo others that they should not héere it Lyke as vngodly husbands doo whiche withholde their wyues from héering Gods woorde for couetousnesse of their owne gayne Thus by their rashe boldenesse they rush intoo Gods office maliciously despise Christes commaundement whereby it commeth too passe that whatsoeuer they go about hath ill successe First they méene too prouide for the body and afterward if they can finde any leysure they haue a little regarde too the soule I gather wyll some saye for my Wyfe and my Children Thou doost well and I allowe thy méening for Nature teacheth and reason perswadeth that the husband should care for his wife and children And Paule sayth He that neglecteth his owne is worse than an infidell But gather thou according too Chrysts rule and the example of this people First séeke the kingdome of God and next be diligent in thy vocation If thou doo otherwise thy children shall haue small ioy of thy labours For thy labour is cursed and cursed is the frute of thy labours and it shall not profite thy children For this is a most true saying The thirde descent enioyeth not the goodes that euill meanes haue got Experience teacheth that the goodes which are euill gotten by the parents are for the most part wastfully and shamefully spent by their children among harlottes in brothelhouses in tauerning in quarelling and brauling Wherfore if wée haue any liking of goodlinesse let vs folowe Chrysts rule and the example of this multitude Which thing if wée doo wée shal féele Gods hand too bée bountifull towards vs. ¶ Of the second NOw let vs looke vpon the circumstances of this present miracle which are many First the Lord sayth to Philip From whence might we buy bread that these may eate Why is this pâ—t 〈◊〉 by the Eâ—angelist And he sayd this too trie him that is too say to prooue what fayth he had who erewhyle hadde séene the water turned intoo wyne at Cana in Galilée But what answer maketh Philip Tvvoo hundreth penyvvoorth of bread vvold not suffise them that euery one might take a little Héere Philip béeing forgetfull of the miracles that he had séene before calleth his owne reason to counsell as if he should say It is a great company and it requireth a great summe of mony to suffise them and we haue in maner nothing For it is too no purpose to make questions of bying bread it is to us purpose to staÌ„d debating this or that where impossibilitie letteth But there 〈◊〉 another Disciple named Andrew and sayth Héere is a boy that hath fiue barly loues twoo fishes But these are nothing for so great a company This disciple is past hope as well as his fellow But what sayth Chryste too this géere He sayth too them make the folke sit downe as if he had sayd for asmuch as it semeth a thing impossible too your iudgement that so great a company should héere be saued from perishing for hunger I whoo haue sayd vntoo them you séeke first the kingdome of God and his rightuousnesse and all things else shabe cast vnto you will shew by déede that my promis is not vain doo you no more but bid the people sit downe too eate Héere the disciples obey their maister and to the nuÌ„ber as it were of fiue thousand men do settle them selues to their repast looking too be fed by miracle When they were set downe Iesus tooke those fiue barly loues and two fishes and first blissing them and giuing thanks distributed as much as he listed to his guestes And after that they were suffised he said too his disciples Gather vp the broken meat that remaineth that nothing be lost And they obeying him gathered vp twelue baskets full of broken meat Ye sée the miracle wherby Chryst confirmeth his diuine power his promis and his office What must wée lerne héereby Many wholsome doctrines may bée gathered hereof First héere is confirmed that which we haue heard in the first place namely that they which folow Chryst shal not perish for waÌ„t of foode according as you haue herd alredy Secondly by this miracle is confirmed Chrystes loue towards them that folow him Of which thing also we haue herd in the first doctrine Furthermore by this miracle wée are assured that Chryste contrary too the iudgement of reason can helpe when he will For like as the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of the worlde are diuers so maye other things bée doone in Chrystes kingdome than can be doone in the kingdome of the world For hée that is chéefe in Christs kingdome is almightie whose will is a déede For as Dauid sayth he hath done all things whatsoeuer hée woulde both in heauen and earth Therefore when the Gospell setteth before vs the woonderfull woorkes of God concerning the resurrection of the dead the lyfe euerlasting the eternall punishment of the wicked and such other things we must not call our owne reason too counsel to demaund of it what can be done but wée must aske the question at Gods woord only For if God say ought too vs by and by wée must call too mynde his mightynesse and his truth In as much as hée is mighty nothing is too him impossible And bycause he is true whatsoeuer he sayth is assured and stedy For he sayth Heauen and earth shall passe but my woordes shall not passe Wée are taught also by thys miracle and déede of Chrystes that God wil with his blissing encrease the smal thinges of the godly For suffisance consisteth not in the greate abundance of things but in the Lordes blissing whiche only maketh men rich Wherevpon Chryst in the .xij. of Luke sayeth Mans life consisteth not in the abundance of things that he possesseth And Dauid in the huÌ„dred and one twentith Psalme sayeth and there is abundance too them that loue thée Oftentimes it falleth out that some poore man fearyng God is better fed with bread and potage than a wicked rich man with his daintie dishes and sweete wines The poore Lazarus was better fed with the
crummes which hée coulde scarce come by than the rich Glutton wyth his delycate fare Let euery one of vs thinke vppon these things aduisedly and wayt paciently for the Lordes promise that hée may blisse our laboures and encrease our breade For he commaunded vs too pray and say Gyue vs this day our dayly bread Ouermore Chrystes déede teacheth vs too gyue God thankes for his gifts when wée go about too vse his heauenly benefits and too desire him that he will halow his gifts with his blissing For the creature of GOD is made holy by the woord and by prayer according as Paul teacheth in the first too Timothie and the fourth Chapiter But it commeth too passe that many bycause they knowledge not Gods benefites and much lesse yéelde thankes too the gyuer are either néedie euen in great plenty of things or else are pressed with great pouertie Wherfore I exhort you to folowe this example of Chryst as often as you méene too vse Gods good gifts And let this suffise for this present miracle Now ensueth the third place ¶ Of the thirde WHen they had seene sayth the Euangelist the miracle that he had vvrought they sayde Of a truth this is that Prophet that should come intoo the vvorlde Therefore Iesus knovving that they vvould come and take hym vp too make hym kyng fledde ageyn intoo a Mountaine by himselfe alone Héere are two examples propounded one of the multitude and another of Chryst. In the multitude wée sée twoo things The one is that by the miracle they acknowledge the Messias Which thing is wel done of the people For the Prophet Esay foretold it should come to passe that when the Messias came into the world he should woorke great miracles by the which he should be known Thus far therfore the people iudged aright The other that wée sée in the people is the error of the people in iudgemēt Who perceiuing by the miracle that Iesus was the Messias would haue made him kyng But Christes kingdom is not worldly according as he himselfe sayd vnto Pylate My kingdom is not of this world The people would faine haue bin thankful to Christ but they shewed not their thankfulnesse according too knowledge Wherby we may lerne of this multitude too bée thākful too God how beit in as much as they were euershot in their dooing let vs imbrace Gods woord for a rule of thankfulnesse But when Chryste vnderstood the vnskilful zeale of the people that were minded too make him their Kyng he fled intoo a mountaine and suffred not himselfe too bée made king by the people What may we lerne héerby First that which I spake of euen nowe that Chrysts kingdom is not worldly Next that wée must couet no honor cōtrary to our vocation Let euery man content himself with that degrée of estimation that he is called vntoo not take vpon him an other mans office for desire of estimatiō But let euery one of vs in his own vocation looke vntoo these thrée things First let vs labour lustily in the feare of God Secondly let vs not séeke the praise of y e multitude if we shal haue doon any good Thirdly let this be our purpose to serue God and his church in the feare of God They that doo otherwise doo nothing aright but offend God and vtter their owne pride whome God suffreth oft to slide that their foly may be known and so may suffer punishment for their presumption That the which thing happen not vnto vs let vs pray God to gouerne vs with his spirit too whom the only and euerlasting god bée honor praise and glorie for euer and euer Sobeit The fifth Sunday in Lent commonly called Passion Sunday ¶ The Gospell Iohn viij WHiche of you can rebuke mee of sinne If I say the truth vvhy doo ye not beleue mee He that is God heereth Gods vvords yee therefore heere them not bicause ye are not of god Then aunsvvered the Ievves and saide vntoo him Say vve not vvell that thou art a Samaritane and hast the Diuel Iesus ansvvered I haue not the diuel but I honor my father yee haue dishonored me I seeke not mine ovvn praise there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Verily verely I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying he shall neuer see death Then sayde the Ievves vntoo him Novv knovve vvee that thou hast the deuyll Abraham is dead and the Prophets and thou sayest If a man kepe my saying he shall neuer tast of death Art thou greater than our father Abraham vvhiche is dead And the prophets are dead vvhom makest thou thy selfe Iesus aunsvvered If I honor my selfe myne honor is nothing it is my father that honoreth mee vvhich you say is your God and yet ye haue not knovvn him but I knovv him And if I say I knovv him not I shall bee a lyer like vntoo you But I knovv him and keepe his saying Your father Abraham vvas glad to see my day and he savv it and reioysed Then sayde the Ievves vnto him Thou art not yet fifty yeare old and hast thou seene Abraham Iesus sayd vntoo them Verely verely I saye vntoo you Ere Abraham vvas borne I am Then toke they vp stones to cast at him but Iesus hid himselfe and vvent out of the Temple The exposition of the text THys Gospell conteyneth a singular Doctrine concerning Chryste and a gaynsaying of the same doctrine by Chrysts enimies For lyke as Chryst defendeth his owne person office and doctrine and pointeth out the true fountayn of saluation so the Iewes Chrystes enimies set them selues against the person office and doctrine of Chryst and pleade against him with thrée arguments which Sathan hath vsed from the beginning of the world foorth And those thrée weapons are these Hypocrisie Sophistrie and Tyrannie This Gospell therfore conteyneth the discription of twoo Kyngdomes that is to say of Christes and of Sathans For as Christ héer mainteineth his owne kingdome So the champions of Sathan maynteyne their maysters quarel But bicause it is for our behoofe too harken what Chryst sayeth rather than what Sathan thynketh agaynst it I will propoūd twoo lessons out of this gospel grounded vpon Chrysts wordes and shew what his enimies answered and dyd ageinst eyther of them The places are twoo 1 That lyke as Chryste is the true Messias so euery one that héereth him not is not of God 2 That hée whiche kéepeth Chrystes woordes is set frée from eternal death And in these twoo chéefe lessons of this Gospell I will set forth the strife betwéene Chryst and the Iewes in declaration wherof many particular lessons doo offer themselues ¶ Of the firste OF the first lesson there bée twoo parts One that Chryst is the true Messias the other that he which héereth not Chryst is not of God Concerning the first part the texte hath thus VVhiche of you can rebuke mee of sinne If I speke the truthe vvhy doo not you beleeue mee The Iewes had found faulte with Chrystes doctrine
bicause Sathan and his seruantes hate the truth Chryst confirmed his doctrine by innocencie of life the recorde of the Prophets and sundry miracles so as the Iewes might haue knowne hym too bée the true Messias and also haue beléeued in hym too theyr saluation Therfore when as they through the instinct of Sathan for hatred to Chryst ward and of loue too their own false doctrine whiche they had receiued of their forefather did with all their power set themselues agaynst Chryste Chryste on the other syde thirsting mannes saluation defended his owne innocentnesse doctrine and office too the intent he might at least wise yet win some of his foes vnto God and call them backe from falling headlong intoo damnation First therfore he asketh if any man can finde faulte with his conuersation VVhich of you sayth he can reproue mee of sinne As if he had sayd I haue liued openly amōg you without faulte from my cradle so as none of you is able too reproue mée of any sinne Nowe séeyng that so to do is the propertie of the Messias why do you not acknowledge mée too bée the Messias that was promised long agoe For none is cléere withoute Synne but the Messias onely In as muche then as none of you is able too conuicte me of sinne yée doo foolishely not onely for that yée acknowledge mée not too bée the Messias but also for that you condemne mée of sinne Héerevntoo he addeth concernyng his doctrine If I speake the truthe vntoo you vvhy beleeue you mee not As if he had sayd In asmuch as I do by innocencie of lyfe by record of the Prophets and by many miracles cōfirme my doctrine too be so true that whither you will or nil yée confesse it to be true why beléeue you mée not Hée is woorse than mad that persecuteth that thyng as false whiche he knowes to be true But this is the nature of men He that is noozeled in naughtynesse of a childe is hardly reclaimed from his errour So great a mater it is too bée enured too a thing from the shell But what may wée lerne héer of Chryst and the Iewes Of Chryst all ministers of the woorde may lerne so too frame their life and doctrine that no man may haue aught too reproue eyther in theyr lyfe or in their doctrine For albeit that only Christ was pure from all sinne yet notwithstanding those that will teach his gospel with frute must be cléer from opē crimes For the Poet sayeth aright It turneth too the teachers shame When hee hymselfe is found too blame For how I pray you can a tippling Préest fynde fault with tiplers How dare a whoorehunter chasten whooremongers and aduoutrers Howe shall a couetous person condemne couetousnesse or an vsurer vsurie or a quareller quarels or a proud man pride In fine he that will rebuke others must be fautlesse himselfe As for those that say doo as I teach but doo not as I doo they are not the ministers of Chryste but of sathan For no man is too be accounted too teache vnlesse hée expresse the same thyng in hys life that hée teacheth in his woordes For so doothe Paule teache Timothye Bée thou sayeth hée a paterne too the flocke That is to say expresse the thing in life that thou teachest in woord that the héerers may behold in thée a liuely example of thy doctrine Wherevpon Paule sayeth of himself Be yée folowers of mée lyke as I am of Chryst. Moreouer they that héere the Gospell must learne somewhat of these Iewes Not too set them selues ageynste Chryst and their teachers as they did but to take warning at their damnation and so too repent that they may be saued by the benefit of Chryst. On the other part of the first lesson the text speaketh in this wise He that is of God heereth the vvooord of God and the cause vvhy you heere not is for that yee are not of God He assigneth the cause why the Iewes so maliciously despised Chrystes doctrine that is to wit for that they were not of God but of Sathan He speaketh not héer of mans nature which in very déede is of God but of mens maliciousnesse which is of the diuell For this maliciousnesse maketh men vnwilling to héere Gods woord Héer let euery man examin himselfe and déeme of himselfe whither hée bée of God or of the Diuell For he that with a good will héereth Gods woord hath Chrystes recorde that hée is of God Contrarywise he that despiseth the woord and persecuteth it is vndoutedly of the Diuell though the vngodly are not willing too héere of this But in lyke maner as the Iewes doo héere persecute and slaunder Chryst that told them this so in lykewise are the ministers of the Gospell persecuted at this day by those whome in their sermons they declare to be of the Diuell What then say the Iewes héere They aunswered and sayd vnto him Say vvee not vvell that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Diuell This is the craft of Sathan when he can not deny the truth he falleth to flat rayling So also standeth the case at this day when men are not able too denie but that it is Gods woord wherby their wickednesse is reproued by and by they fall too rayling and séeke for somewhat too carye at in the ministers of the Gospell But what dooth Chryst héer He answered I haue no diuell but I honor my father and you dishonor mee And I seeke not myne ovvne glorie but there is one that seeketh and iudgeth In this aunswer Chryst first denyeth himselfe to haue a diuell whiche thing the Lord confirmeth héereby that he séeketh Gods glorie which they doo not that haue made a couenant with the diuell Afterward hée turneth the slaunder vpon the Iewes when he sayth And you haue dishonored mee that honour God For those that rayle vpon them that honor God must of necessitie bée led by the Diuell Further more when he addeth I seeke not myne ovvn glorie but there is one that seketh and iudgeth Hée remoueth from himselfe the desire of vainglorie and in his dutifulnesse commendeth himself to his father By this aunswere of Chrystes the ministers of the woord may lerne thrée things First as much as may be too defend themselues from the slaunders wherwith they are charged least their ministery should be abased when they themselues are brought in contempt Secondly to cast those railers in the téeth with their owne sinnes bycause they make warre not so much against men as against God him selfe And thirdely not to séeke their owne glorie but the glorie of God and to persuade thēselues assuredly that God defendeth their innocencie ¶ Of the second OF the seconde lesson the Lordes woordes speake in thys wise Verely I say vntoo you if any man keepe my sayings he shall not see death for euer These woords are too hée throughly well weyd as which conteine the highest benefite of Chryst towards men that is to wit that he which
throughout Therefore they sayd among them selues Let vs not cut it but let vs cast lots for it whose it shal be that the scripture might bee fulfilled whiche was written by the Prophete saying They parted my raymente among thē and vpon my cote did they cast lots And they sate down and watched him there And the souldiers verelye did these things and the people stood looking on Also neer vntoo the Crosse stood the mother of Iesus and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas Mary Magdalene Therefore when Iesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loued standing by he sayde to his mother woman heholde thy sonne And afterward he sayd to his disciple beholde thy mother And from that houre the disciple took hir for his owne And those that passed by rayled vpon him wagging their heades and saying VVo bee to thee that destroyest the temple and buyldest it vp again in three dayes Saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come down from the crosse Likewise the highe Preestes iesting among them selues with the Scribes the elders and the people sayd he hath saued others but him selfe hee cannot saue If this be Christe King of Israell the beloued of God let him saue him selfe and let him come downe from the crosse out of hand that wee may see and beleeue him Hee trusted in GOD let him deliuer him now if he wil haue him for he sayd I am the sonne of God The same thing also did the theeues that were crucified with him cast him in the teeth with rayling vpon him The Souldiers also cōming vnto him mocked him and offering him vineger sayd vntoo him If thou be that King of the Iewes saue thy self And one of the offēders that hung by him railed vpon him saying If thou bee Christe saue thy selfe and vs. The other aunswering rebuked him saying Doost not thou feare God neither seeing that thou art condemned as wel as wee And wee surely are condemned iustly for wee receiue according too our deedes but this man hath doone none euill And he sayd too Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest intoo thy kingdome And Iesus sayd to him Verely I say vntoo thee this day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise From the sixth houre there fel darknesse vpon the whole earth vntoo the ninthe houre and the Sunne was darkened And about the ninthe houre Iesus cryed with a loud voyce saying Eli Eli Lamazabathani which if a man interpret it is O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Some of the standers by when they hard him say so sayd Beholde he calleth for Elias And Iesus knowing that as thē all things were finished too the intent the scripture might be fulfilled said I thirst There was set by a vessel ful of vineger and by and by one of them running too it took a spundge and filling it with vineger and Hysope put it vpon a Reed and put it to his mouth that he should drinke and with the rest sayd Let him alone let vs see if Helias wil come and take him downe Therefore when Iesus had taken the vineger he sayd it is finished And he cryed ageine with a loude voyce saying Father intoo thy handes I commit my spirite And assoone as he had spoken these woords hee bowed downe his head and gaue vp the ghoste And behold the veile of the Temple rent a sunder in the middes from the top too the ground and the earth shooke and the stones claue a sunder the graues opened and many bodies of the Saincts that had slept arose and going out of their graues after his resurrection came into the holy Citie and appeered vntoo many And the Capteine that stood ouer ageinst him and those that were with him watching Iesus seeing that he had giuen vp the ghost with suche a cry seeing the earthquake and the things that had bin done were sore afraid and glorifyed God saying Of a truthe this was a righteous man and the sonne of God And all the company of thē that were come toogither too behold these things and had seene what happened returned knocking them selues on the brestes There stoode all his acquaintance a farre of many women that had folowed him from Galilee beholding these things Among whom was Mary Magdalene Mary the moother of Iames the lesse and of Ioses and Salome the mother of Zebedies sonnes whiche women had folowed him al the while he was in Galilee and had ministred vntoo him many other moe that had come vp with him from Galilee too Hierusalem The Iewes therefore bicause it was the preparation of the passeouer too the intent the bodies should not remaine vpon the crosse on the Saboth day for that Saboth was a hie day desired Pilate that their legges might bee broken and they taken downe The Souldiers therefore came and brake the legs of the first and of the other that was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus saw him already dead they brake not his legs but one of the Souldiers thrust him intoo the side with a speare and by and by issued out bloud and water And he that saw it bare witnesse of it and his witnesse is true And he knoweth that he sayth truthe to the intent that you also may beleeue For these things were doone that the Scripture might bee fulfilled yee shall not breake a bone of him And ageine another Scripture sayth They shal see him whom they haue perced After this when euening came bicause it was the Easter euen which goeth before the Saboth there came one Ioseph of Arimathaea borne in Arimathaea a Cittie of the Iewes a riche man and a Counselloure and a good and iust man who had not consented to the deuise and deed of them For he also was one of them that loked for the kingdome of god For he was also a disciple of Iesus but priuily for feare of the Iewes He taking courage to him went in vnto Pylate and be sought him that he might take down the body of Iesus And Pylate wondered that hee was already deade and sending for the Captain enquired of him whither he were already deade or no. And when he knewe the matter by the Centurion he gaue the body of Iesus vnto Ioseph commaunding it to bee deliuered vnto him And Ioseph bought a sheete Thyther came also Nichodemus that had come before vntoo Iesus by night bringing with him of Myrrhe and Aloes mingled togither about an hundred pound weight So they took downe the bodye of Iesus and lapped it in a cleane sheete and wrapped him in linnen with spices as the maner of the Iewes is to bury There was in the same place where hee was crucified a gardine and in the gardine a newe Tumbe of Iosephs which he had hewen out of a stone wherin as yet had neuer mā bin layd Therefore bicause it was the Easter euen of the Iewes that the saboth day drew nere they laid Iesus in it
séen Chryst the author of this peace sayd Now let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue séene thy saluation The frute of this peace after the Resurrection shall bée euerlasting ioyfulnesse euerlasting gladnesse and euerlasting fruition of the sighte of GOD and of all the Sainctes that haue liued from the beginning of the worlde too that day This frute is no man able too conceiue sufficientely in this life Now that I haue somwhat largely spoken of those things that méete toogither in this peace I will drawe intoo a bréefe summe or description what this peace is The peace béetwéene GOD and man therefore is a mutuall agréemente of GOD and man Of GOD accepting man intoo fauoure for Chrystes sake and of manne receyuing by fayth the grace that is offered him and promising earnestly his obedience vntoo GOD. Let this suffize concerning the peace which Chryst offreth héer not onely too the eleuen disciples whiche were then present but also vntoo vs and too all that will receiue this peace when it is offered them by the preaching of the gospel ▪ After this peaceable gréeting it foloweth in the text by what means Chryst proued him self too be risē agein frō death in déed And hée sheweth that the same thing was so foretold in Moyses in the prophets in the Psalms But for as much as you haue herd of these things vpon Easter day and yesterday I wil speak onely of the necessitie vse of Chrystes death and resurrection ¶ Of the second SO is it vvritten and so ought Chryst too suffer and rise agein from death the third day and repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes too bee preached in his name too all nations beginning at Hierusalem First therfore when hée saith so is it written His wil is that not reason but Scripture should wey with vs as often as the kingdome of God cometh in question Where this is written hée addeth saying It must néedes bée y t all things bée fulfilled in the law of Moyses in the Prophets and in y e Psalmes Therfore when any question is put foorth concerning saluation Moyses must bée called too counsell the Prophets must bée read and the Psalmes must bée perused and consequently the wrytings of the Euangelists and Apostles Whatsoeuer is repugnant too these wrytings muste bée reiected as procéeding from Sathan What is written that Chryst ought so too suffer and rise from death the third day When hée saith So ought it importeth a necessitie of Chrystes death and resurrection Why then ought hée First that the scriptures whiche can not lie might bée fulfilled For like as GOD endureth for euer so his woord endureth for euer And Chryste sayeth Heauen and Earthe shall passe but my woordes shall not passe Secondely this thing muste néedes bée doone bicause God hath so determined For it cā by no meanes be auoyded but that that thing whiche God hath certeinly determined muste néedes take effecte Thirdly it was of necessitie that Chryst must suffer for the redemption of man from endlesse punishementes whiche they hadde deserued by their sinnes For had not Chryste suffered wée had abidden in our sinnes vnder the wrath of GOD. Fourthly it was of necessitie that Chryst should suffer for the glorie wherewith hée was too bée crowned afterwarde Fifthly it behooued Chryste too suffer for our instruction comfort Forasmuch as he is our head it behooued him to leade vs the way as well in persecution as in glory Sixtly it behooued Christ to suffer too the intent y e truth might answere the figures For many figures of the old Testament did represent Chrysts death and Resurrection of which is spoken vpon Easter day Bréefly too conclude in one woord Chryst suffered dyed and rose ageyn that Gods displeasure might bée pacified mankinde saued and the diuels kingdome destroyed Thus haue wée of howe great necessitie it was that Chryst should dye and rise agein Nowe let vs héere what is the frute and vse of this wonderfull woorke ▪ Whiche thing the Lorde declareth in these woords And repentance and forgiuenesse of sins too bee preached too all nations in his name By these woords is gathered first what the Gospell is and what is the effect of it The Gospell is a preaching of repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes for Chrysts sake The effect of the Gospell is that deliueraunce from sinne and saluation happen through Iesus Chryst only Howebeit too the intent it may appéere the more playnly vntoo vs how great benefites are offered vs by the Gospell all which lye hidde vnder these woords of Chryst I wil bring a somwhat more large description out of the Scriptures The Gospell is a generall preaching wherein is vttered the deliueraunce from the cursse of the lawe and Gods wrath and wherein forgiuenesse of sinnes Saluation and Eternall lyfe is proclaymed too them that beléeue in the Sonne of GOD for the Sacrifice of him according too the promyses made in olde tyme too the Fathers that the glorie of Gods goodnesse might continually bée published and that moreouer men béeing delyuered by Chryst might bring foorth frutes méete for the Gospell and at length enioy euerlasting life In this description is fyrst set foorth from what euils wée bée set frée by meanes of the Gospell that is too wit from the curse of the lawe according too that sentence Galath 3. Chryst became accursed for vs that is too say he tooke vppon him the cursse that wée deserued for our sinnes too the intent wée might become heyres of righteousnesse and blissyng This thing also auoucheth Paule 2. Cor. 5. where he sayth thus Him that knewe no sinne he made sinne that wée might bée made the righteousnesse of GOD in him This is as much too say as Chryst whiche was frée from all sinne became giltie for vs. Therefore is it well sayde that deliueraunce from the cursse of the lawe is preached vntoo vs by the Gospell Moreouer bicause Gods wrath was ioyned with the curse of the lawe wée are also delyuered from Gods wrath when wée beléeue the Gospell He that beléeueth not sayeth the trueth the wrath of God abydeth vppon him Therefore he that beléeueth is no longer vnder wrath but vnder grace Nowe where as grace reigneth there the diuels tyrannie hath no power there is no sting of euerlasting death there is no feare of hel from these euils therfore dooth the Gospell preache deliueraunce But what are the good things that it bringeth woord of It bringeth tidings of forgiuenesse of sinnes of saluation and of eternall lyfe Wée béeing giltie of sinne are by nature cursed and damned to euerlasting death But nowe dooth Chryste in his Gospell offer vs Forgyuenesse of sinnes Saluation and euerlasting lyfe Whiche good things hée hath purchased for vs by his death and glorious Resurrection Wée haue heard by what euils wée are set frée by meanes of the Gospell and what good things are offered vs by the same Nowe followeth too whom these good things happen namely too
clensing héerof hath he giuen his sonne willeth that those which wil be partakers of his mercy should mortifie it in thēselues by continual repentāce But how doth God loue the world So as he hath giuen his sonne for it that is to wit that he should take vpon him the sinne of the world die for it vpon the crosse Surely it is a great loue than which there can be none greter But reason is héer offēded which vnderstandeth not Gods purpose and obiecteth in this wise Is not God almighty Yes surely Can he not doo what hée listeth Yes vndoubtedly can he Had it not bin better then if he had shewed his loue towards men by some other meane Austin answereth If hée had doone otherwise neyther would y t haue liked thée It pleased him saith Paul too saue the vnbeléeuers by the foolishe preaching of the Gospel Wherefore setting aside the iudgemente of reason let vs saye with Dauid Thy woorde is a lanterne too my feete Also this is too bée knowne that God is not only almighty but also most iust most merciful and most wise Mankinde was falne intoo sinne What did Iustice require in this case Surely that mankind should bée punished according too the greatnesse of his sinne Nowe as his sinne was infinite for the infinite goodnesse was defaced therby so Gods iustice required that eyther mankinde should suffer endlesse punishmēt or else that rightfull amēds should bée made in stead of the punishemente This amends could none make but God But forasmuch as God ought not too bée punished the sonne of God tooke mannes nature vpon him and in it made satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde And so God shewed himself not only almighty but also most iust most merciful and most wise For he alone foūd out the way which reason could not find He gaue his sonne whoo by his heauenly power ouercame sinne death the Deuil Hel who of his mercy hath receyued vs who with his rightuousnesse hathe satisfied the iustice of God who through his wisdome hath found out the way of saluation ¶ Of the second THat all that beleeue in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Héere is the instrument set foorth whereby the benefites of our Mediatour Chryst are applyed vntoo vs. Howbéeit for asmuch as these are the woordes of the sonne of God and the chéef floure or pith of the whole scripture I wil sift them one by one and shew what doctrine is too bée gathered of euery word First hée sayth All. This woord all remedieth two moste gréeuous temptations whereof the one is of particularitie and the other of vnwoorthinesse for the multitude of sinnes There are diuers that confesse God too bée merciful too many for Christes sake but they dout whither so great a good turne perteine too them selues or no. This is a sore temptation the whiche the sonne of God remedyeth with this one woord all For if Chrystes benefite extended not it self too all he would in no wise haue sayd all but many or some Let vs then giue the praise of truth vntoo Chryste and let euery man throughly persuade him self that Christes benefits belong to him also Ageine another temptation riseth of the thinking vppon the greatnesse of sinnes whiche temptation the miseries of this present life encrease This dooth Chryste remedy also by this woord all For hée sayth not euery iust man or that committeth the lesser sinnes but all that is to wit euery one that is found within this wide worlde This also confirmeth the price of our redemptiō The blud of Christ saith Iohn clenseth vs from all iniquitie that is too say from all that whiche wée doo amisse contrary too the law of God Therefore let no man despaire by reason of the greatnesse of his disease Oure Phisicion Chryste is wise and hath an effectuall remedye ageinst all diseases namely his owne death and obedience Then foloweth the second woord that beleeueth by whiche woord mākind is disseuered intoo twoo sorts of men of whom the one beléeue the other beléeue not They beléeue whiche persuade them selues that Christ is fauorable to them according too his promisse and they beléeue not whiche despise the gospel and wil not credit Christ these perish through their owne default Uerely the benefit extendeth it self too al men is offred too all according too Christs commaundement but it is receiued of the beléeuers only according too Chrysts cōmaundement and promisse Go yee intoo the vvhole vvorld preach the gospel to al creatures He that beleueth shal be saued Behold the benefit is offred vntoo all but only the beléeuers take hold of it the rest perish through their own default For althoughe that God of his mercy is willing too haue all men saued yet wil hée of his iust iudgement that the vnbeléeuers perish whom hée would haue saued if they had not refused to embrace their saluation by faith The third woord is on him For hée is saued that beléeueth on him that is on the sonne of God very man the sauyoure of the world Iesus Chryst. What is it too beléeue on him It is too despaire of thy self and too hope for all good at his hand The fourth woord is should not perish In this saying are shewed twoo things Firste that all whiche beléeue not on Christ are subiect too the sentence of damnation And secondly that men bée acquit from this sentence of dānation by the merites of only Chryst through fayth only This therfore is the greatest benefite of the Gospel too bée set frée from deserued destruction and endlesse damnation The fifthe saying is but haue life euerlasting This is the chéefest benefit of the Gospel Endlesse death is due to vs by oure owne desert eternall life is due too vs by the deserte of Christ so that wée leane vntoo him by stedfast fayth vntoo the end By these things now is too be gathered a firme differēce betwixt the law and the Gospel and betwéene woorkes and fayth The law promiseth eternall life but it is too them that doo the lawe But bicause no man is able too fulfil the lawe it foloweth that no man can atteine life by the law The Gospel promiseth eternal life fréely too all that beléeue in Christ bicause Chryste hath for all suche satisfied the rightuousnesse of the lawe Fayth therefore receyueth that benefite fréely whiche the lawe offereth without condicion of fulfilling the law Notwithstanding when wée haue obteyned this benefite by faith we must doo works not too the intent too deserue Heauen and euerlasting life by them but as Gods Children too performe true obedience too our Father and to shew oure fayth by our frutes in all godlynesse and honestie ¶ Of the third FOr God hathe not sent his sonne intoo the vvorlde too comdemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde mighte bee saued by him Hee that beleeueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is iudged already bycause hee beleeueth not on
should bring vp a worshipping of God contrary too his commaundement Fourthly that wée should wallowe in al filth and wickednesse Which so euer of these four things our enimie shal compasse he holdeth men as prisoners For he that denyeth Gods prouidence is condemned for one of Epicures sect He that executeth his vocatiō deceitfully is woorse than an Infidel He that setteth vp a woorshipping contrary too Gods commaundement despiseth God and is rather the Diuels seruaunt than the seruaunt of God He that liueth an vnhonest lyfe is the bondslaue of sinne and the hyreling of Deathe and of Sathan But what remedie is there ageinst these mischéeues Purenesse of Doctrine and absteyning from false prophets For the purenesse of doctrine teacheth vs that God regardeth vs in suche wise that the Lord kéepeth reckening of all the heares of our head The same pure doctrine holdeth vs in our vocation and teacheth vs the true manner of worshipping God Besides that it conteyneth the rule of true holynesse and of leading a blamelesse life The second thing which I admonished folke too consider in this first place is Bond. Now it may be demaunded whither this Bond perteyne too all men or but only too the gouernoures of the Churche For many thinke themselues excused if they obey those that haue the ordinary calling Untoo whom the prophet Ezechiell in his thirde Chapter or rather the spirite of Chryste speaking in Ezechiell answered in these woordes I haue made thee watche man ouer the house of Israell and thou shalt héere the woord at my mouthe and shalt giue them warning from me If I say too the vngodlye thou shalt dye the death and thou tell it him not nor speake vntoo him that he may turne from his wicked way and liue The vngodlye persone shall dye in his owne sinne and I will require his blud at thy hand But if thou giue the wicked man warning and he tourne not from his wickednesse and from his vngodly waye Hée verely shall die in his owne wickednesse but thou haste deliuered thine owne soule This saying of the Prophete sheweth sufficiently that they are farre wide whiche surmise it too bée inoughe for them if they obey their paryshe Curates whyther they teache well or ill If it were so the Turkes and Ethnikes should bée saued of whom many haue obeyed their teachers It is too bée knowne therefore that all men are bounde too flée false Prophetes as pestilent Plagues of their Saluation For Chrystes commaundemente is manyfest whiche héere is giuen too all men for he speaketh too the multitude And Iohn in his firste Epistle fourth Chapter sayeth Beléeue not euery spirite but trie the spirites whyther they bée of GOD for many false Prophetes are gone out intoo the world And Chryst sayeth My shéepe héere my voice But what dooth that tirant the Pope in this case Hée sayeth that the discussing of the doctrine belongeth too him his shauelings I pray you what can be spoken or imagined more shamelesse Is not this as muche as too ouermayster Chrystes spouse and too vsurp Lordship ouer the Lordes inheritance notwithstanding that Peter the Apostle whose successoure hée bosteth him selfe too bée were forbidden too doo it Iohn Baptist professeth him selfe too bée a seruaunt too the spouse but the Pope will bée mayster of the spouse Chryst coueteth too haue his spouse kept chast vntoo him self but the Pope defileth hir with horrible aduoutrie Hée teacheth the doctrines of Deuilles whereby shée may learne too play the strumpet Paule sayeth I haue betrothed you too one man that I may bestowe you a chaste virgin vppon Chryst. This betrothing is made by fayth of the moste pure and moste chaste woorde of GOD. But the Pope who bosteth himselfe too bée Peters successoure bestayneth this virgine with a thousand adulteries when hée leadeth hir away from embracing of hir husband Chryste too sundry Idolatries and woorshipping of Sainctes The third thing that I set out too be considered in this first place is the vse of this prohibition or forbidding Bevvare of false Prophets Whiche vse surely is manifolde For first this prohibition warneth vs that there shall bée false teachers in the Churche Which thing the Lord signified also by the Parable of the man that sowed good séede in his féelde and of the enimie that came and sowed Darnel in the same féelde For the woodnesse of the Deuill is so greate that hée neuer ceaseth woorking too corrupte Gods woorde whiche thing hée began too doo assoone as euer oure firste Parents were created in Paradise And at this daye the more is the pitie he woorketh his feats through the whole world Séeing that wée knowe this wée must bée the more diligent and looke better about vs. Secondly this prohibition Bevvare of false Prophets must stirre vs vp too giue our mindes more earnestly vntoo Gods woorde Wherevppon Paule wisheth that the Philippians may increase in all knowledge And Chryst saith Serch the scriptures and learn of mée If yée abide in my woord yée are my Disciples in déed and yée shall knowe the truthe and the truthe shall deliuer you Thirdly this prohibition proueth that the Churche maye bothe put downe false teachers and set vp true teachers in their steade For it were in vayne too bidde vs shunne false Prophetes vnlesse it were lawfull too displace them from the Office and charge of teaching and too appoynt true ministers in their roumes Praise woorthie therefore are those godly Kings and Princes that are careful for the reformation of the Churches and the maintenance of the ministery of Gods woord Fourthly also this prohibitiō sheweth how the woordes of those y t teach are too bée receiued If they teach the truth they are too be heard no lesse than God himselfe For so sayeth the Lord Hée that héereth you héereth mée and he that despiseth you despiseth mée If they teache amisse they are too bée eschued no lesse than Sathan him selfe For as Sathan seduced Eue with euill doctrine so they that teache lies disappoynt men of the grace of God or rather thrust them oute of the heauenly kingdome according as euery man knoweth too bée doone in the papacie ¶ Of the second WHich come vntoo you in Sheepes clothing but invvardelye are rauening VVolues In the declaration of thys place wée will looke vppon fiue things in order First from whence false prophets come and whither they go Secondly By what names they bée called in the scripture wherby the greatnesse of the perill may bée vnderstoode Thirdly What is the outwarde countenaunce of false teachers Fourthlye What is their desire and intent Fiftly What markes they haue wherby they may bée discerned from true Prophets If yée aske from whence they come and whither they go I answere in fewe woordes they come from Sathan as stirred vp by him and they goe intoo the Lords vineyarde that is intoo the Churche Héereof are many examples Into that little Churche of Adam Eue and Abell there came the false teacher Caine
who being armed by Sathan at length slue his owne brother bicause hée was of an other religion than hée was of After him folowed many false Prophetes vntill the flud wherewith bothe the false teachers themselues and also their disciples were punished Anon after the floud Sathan sent false teachers ageine into the church which so wasted the Lordes vineyarde that the truthe of God remayned alonely with a few of the house of Sem. So also froÌ„ thencefoorth vntoo Chryste alwayes false teachers crepte intoo the Church most coÌ„monly they got intoo their hands the chéefe ordering of things as well in lay matters as matters of the Churche After Chrystes resurrection there came moe false Prophetes and at all times they were moste in number At length the Pope who is very Antichryste hathe sente out swarmes of heretickes and chéeflye Monkes whiche haue moste miserably torne Chrystes Church with false doctrine And at this day there bée false teachers euery where In conclusion where so euer Chryste layeth his good séede intoo the ground there by and by Sathan putteth too his séede of Darnel Therfore it is not for nothing that Chryste warneth vs too beware of false Prophets Wée know from whence false teachers come and whyther they goe Now that the greatenesse of the daunger may bée weyed I will reherse certeyne of their names First they are called by a general name false Prophets that is too say suche as séem too be teachers of the truthe hauing ordinarie succession authoritie and yet neuerthelesse are lyers as who in steade of true doctrine doo foyst in deuilishe lyes and mennes dreames of whiche sorte there were store in the papacie 2. Of Iohn the Apostle they bée called euill spirites as well for that they are sent by Sathan who is euill as also an occasion of euill of damnation vntoo many 3. Of Iude the Apostle they are termed Clouds without water like vntoo Caine Balaam and Chore. Woe be vntoo them sayth hée for they haue folowed the wayes of Cain are vtterly giuen too the error of Balaam for lukers sake and perishe in the treason of Chore. Fourthlye Paule calleth them Dogges bothe bicause they teare Gods woord and also bicause they scare Chrystes shéepe from his shéepefolde Fifthlye they bée called euill woorkemen bicause they woorke amisse and the ende of their laboure is bothe the destruction of them selues and the damnation of those that giue eare vntoo them Sixthly The Apostle Iohn calleth them Antichrystes not bicause they denie Chryste but bycause they peruert Chrystes doctrin and are ageinst Chryst in their life Seuenthly Paul calleth them enimies of Christes crosse bycause they impute not the begynning meane and ende of Saluation vntoo Chrystes merite alone In this Gospell they are called woolues but yet masking in shéepes clothing that is too say pretending themselues too bée made men where as that notwithstanding they lyke woolues leape priuâ—lie into Chrysts fold tearing and killing Chrysts shéepe with false doctrine and counterfeyt holynesse But what is the outwarde countenaunce of false teachers They come sayth Chryst in sheepes clothing The Lorde in this place speaketh not generally of all euill teachers but onely of one kinde For there bée some that teache well and liue amisse and some that teach amisse and liue amisse and other some that teache amisse and séeme too liue well Of this thirde kinde of Prophets the Lorde speaketh héere For by them is greatest danger What is their desire That dooth Chryste set foorthe in a trimme image When he termeth them Woolues For as the desire of the Woolfe is first too scare the shéepe from the folde then too harrie them intoo the wooddes and thirdlye too deuoure them and destroy them Euen so the false Prophets endeuer by their wile too withdraw the shéep that is too say the godly and weake persons from the true church and too driue them intoo the wyldernesse where is no foode of Gods woorde too the intent they may get the masterie of them and at the length murther not so muche their bodies as their soules Howe true this it Turkey beareth wytnesse whiche is deceyued by their false Prophet Mahomet So doothe the papacie plunged in errour by the Antichriste of Rome So do many nations whiche are ledde awaye in horrible outrages by the Libertines and Anabaptistes But thou sayst How can I that am a rude and ignorant person discerne in this varietie of opinions who bée the true techers who hée the false Too the intent wée may discerne and iudge the shepherd from the woolfe Chryst sheweth vs the marks of the woolf he draweth out the false teachers in their proper colors They come to you saith he in sheeps clothing If a man looke but vpon their outward visor he wold take them for most holy men or rather for angelles of God But if yée plucke off their visours yée shall fynde them woolues first for that their voyce is not lyke Chrysts voyce yea rather with a strange noyse they scare away Chrysts shéepe from their shéepfold intoo the wildernesse too the intent they may kil mens consciences and destroy their soules And this is one marke Besides this hée addeth an other when he sayeth Yee shal knovv them by their frutes Héere thou must bée well aduysed that thou take not the leaues for the frute An euill trée hath now and then beautiful leaues and ageinâ— A good trée oftentimes hath plentifull frute but leaues not altoogether so fayre too sée too But what are the true frutes of Prophets They are thrée worshipping doctrine and maners comformable too the doctrine The true Prophete hath his maner of worshipping his doctrine and his manners according too the prescript woord of God The false prophet hath a manner of worshipping deuised by men a doctrine of mens traditions and manners too outwarde shewe honest howbéeit sauouring altogither of hipocrisie ¶ Of the third NOt euery one that sayth too mee Lorde Lorde shall enter intoo the kingdome of heauen but he that dooth the vvil of my father vvhich is in heauen he shall enter intoo the kingdome of heauen This saying of the Lorde conteyneth two lessons One concerning them that shal bée damned and an other concerning them that shall bée saued And he speaketh of them that are in the outwarde felowship of the Churche for of the others there is no dout but they bée damned But who are they that be damned They are those that glorie of Chryst and do not the will of the heauenly father Who are those They that brag of Fayth which they haue not that is too wit which professe fayth without repentaunce and godly life These dooth Christ pronounce too bée daâ—â—ed and no maruell at all For such persons sinne horribly First they sinne in lying bycause they lie vntoo God Secondly in dooing reproche bicause they abuse Chrystes bloud whiche was shedde for vs. Therefore let vs not folow the outrages of lustes and tirannie but let vs
streightly forbidden by Gods woord Curse not the Prince of the people Under the name of curse are signified all slaunders and backbitings The seconde too obey his proclamations and statutes as wel in paying tributes as also in other things so farre-foorth as thou mayst lawfully without impeachement of religion of the law of Nature Héeruntoo perteyneth this saying of Paul warn thē too submit themselues too rule power too obey the officers and too bée redy too all good woorkes The thirde too pray for Magistrates Exhort them sayeth Paule aboue all things too make prayers supplications intercessions thanksgiuing for all men for kings for all that are in authoritie that wee may liue a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie The fourth not too rush intoo the office of the Magistrate but too refer the discussing of matters too the discretion of the Magistrate if any thing séeme too perteine too the welfare of the Realme And thus muche concerning the magistrate God graunt vs grace that we may yéeld bothe true seruice vntoo God and duetifull obedience too our Magistrates through Iesus Chryste our Lord too whom bée glory for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxiiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix WHile Iesus spake vntoo the people Beholde there came a certeine ruler and vvoorshipped him saying my Daughter is euen novve disceased but come and lay thy hande vppon hir and shee shal liue And Iesus arose and follovved him and so did his Disciples And beholde a vvoman vvhiche vvas diseased vvith an issue of bloude tvvelue yeares came behind him touched the hemme of his vesture For shee sayde vvithin hir selfe If I maye touche but euen hys vesture onely I shall bee safe But Iesus turning him aboute and vvhen he savve hir hee sayd Daughter bee of good comforte thy fayth hathe made thee safe And the vvoman vvas made vvhole euen the same time And vvhen Iesus came intoo the rulers house and savve the Minstrels and people making a noyse he sayde vntoo them get you hence for the mayde is not dead but sleepeth And they laughed him too scorne But vvhen the people vvere put forth hee vvent in and tooke hir by the hand and sayde Damosell arise And the Damosel arose And this noyse vvas abroade in all that lande The exposition of the Text. IN this Gospel it is manifestly described how our Lorde succoureth hys Churche that is vnder the crosse For looke howe Chryste our Sauiour was minded towardes this Ruler and towardes this afflicted woman euen so also is hée minded towardes mée and thée yea and towards all folke that after the example of these persones that is too wit of this ruler and this woman doo flée too him according too that Prophesie of Ioell concerning Chryst All that cal vppon the name of the Lord shall bée saued With this Prophesie doo both Chrysts woords and his déeds agrée His woords are Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I will refresh you His déedes are euery where too bée met withall Hée healeth the blinde hée clenseth the Lepers and héereth this Iairus and this womā and hée succoureth those that call vppon him This therefore is the summe of this Storie that oure Lorde woorketh twoo miracles Hée healeth a woman that had bin diseased twelue yeares and hée rayseth the dead Daughter of this Iairus In both these déeds he sheweth what minde he beareth towards all folke The places are thrée 1 The example of this woman hir state faith supplication and healing 2 The example of Iairus the raysing of the dead mayd 3 The mockage wherthrough Chryst was skorned of his enimies ¶ Of the firste ALthoughe that in the Gospell the Ruler Iairus bée mencioned firste for comming too Chryste yet notwithstanding I will speake first of this woman that had the blouddie issue bicause shée is placed in the middes of the Storie of this Ruler Therefore there are in this woman foure things too bée noted First hir estate secondly hir fayth thirdly hir supplication and fourthly the healing of the disease wherewith shée was combered Of whiche things eche one conteyneth a seuerall lesson and admonishement The state of the woman was this first shée was a simple and a feareful woman secondely shée had bin combered .xij. yeares with an issue of blud wherby it is easie too coniecture how sore shée was for spent weakned He that is combered but one mooneth with so gréeuous a disease is miserable and afflicted inough and what shall wée say then of this woman that was troubled so many yeres Thirdly Marke addeth that she had suffered many things at the Phisitians hands of whō some with one medicine some with another had martyred the silie woman piteously And for a vauntage she had by this time spent al hir substance vpon them so that by this most gréeuous disease shée was brought too vtter beggerie yet al those expenses had don hir no good but rather she was euery day woorse than other The remorse of conscience had made this bodily disease of hirs more bitter For wheras the scripture sayth that he which sinneth ageinst the Lorde falleth intoo the hands of the Phisitian What could she thinke else than y e god had cast hir away This was the state of this woman harde inough disease of bodye gnawing of conscience beggerie and contempt But was she therefore an abiect before God Did Christ shake hir off for al that No surely For he came for the afflicted he came for sinners Let vs therfore take courage at this womans example too rayse our selues in our miseries Let vs acknowledge gods iust wrath ageinst vs for our sinnes we haue herd what was this womans state now foloweth hir faith She came behinde him and touched the hem of his garmēt for she thought vvithin hir selfe If I may touch but the hem of his garment I shal be safe This saying of hirs declareth sufficiētly what maner of faith she had She persuaded hir selfe for a certeintie that if she might touch but the hem of his garment she should atteine too health How came shée by so great fayth By the vniuersall promisse whiche shée applyed too hir selfe Doutlesse she knewe this promisse of Chryste Come vntoo me all yée c. Héere she first attributeth too Chryste the prayse of truthe Secondly shée applieth the generall saying too hir selfe in this wyse He calleth all folkes vntoo him he promiseth helpe in generall too all he will refreshe all that are combered I am one of those that are combered I am one of that multitude which he calleth wholy vntoo him Therfore I verely beléeue he will helpe me Wée sée how this woman stirred vp hir faith Now wil wée apply this too vs. As often as the crosse pincheth thée either within or without acknowledge this crosse too bée as a certeyne Sermon whereby thy miserie and damnation is set before thine eyes Secondly beholde the woord of promise and
true blissednesse whiche he is in Chryste Iesu the moste plentyfull welspring of all blissednesse Thirdly it sheweth what is the frute of faith when she sayth For those things shal bée perfourmed whiche the Lorde hath spoken too thée As if she should say Although the experience of all men crye ageinst it although Nature say nay too it although reason determine flat ageinst it Yet shall the thing bée performed that the Lord hath spoken too thée namely that thou being a maid shalt beare a Sonne according too Gods woord Héereby may wée also lerne what is the true inclination of Fayth and after the example of the virgin too giue credite too Gods woord though all the whole nature of things should séeme too warrant the contrary The fourth circumstance At the virgins gréeting the childe sprang in his moothers wombe and by a certeine gesture gaue knoweledge that the Messias was at hād in the virgins wombe Surely this was a greate miracle that a Babe as yet vnborne intoo the worlde acknowledged the repayrer of nature By whiche miracle bothe the fayth of Elizabeth and Mary was confirmed and the goodnesse of God towardes infantes declared who promised Abraham long agoe that hée would bée the GOD of him and of his séede for euermore In assurance of which promise hée established a law that euery male childe of eyght dayes olde should bée circumcised In as much therfore as this promise perteyneth vntoo vs the Anabaptists doo wickedly and shamelesly who will not haue the infants of Christians baptized that is too wit wil not haue them enioy their ensealement whiche are heires of the heauenly grace according too the promise The Anabaptists saye thus Hée that heareth and beléeueth is too bée baptized but an Infant heareth not nor can beléeue and therefore hée is not in any wise too bée baptized But the wretches are deceiued They ought too reason thus rather The Infāts of Christen folkes haue the promise Therefore this promise is too bée sealed vp vntoo them by Baptime as it was sealed vp too the Children of the Iewes by Circumcision The woorde of promise offreth grace and the Sacramente of the promisse sealeth vp the grace and teacheth by outwarde token according as is sayd vppon the day of our Lords supper Therfore let vs set Iohn before vs whoo in his moothers womb béeing full of the holy Ghoste is heire of the grace common too all Infants that haue the promise But they say this was a miracle I confesse it was a miracle and surely a great miracle like as all Gods woorkes in his Churche are miracles Notwithstanding I put too thus muche that this selfe same miracle teacheth vs that Babes are able too receiue the holye Ghoste If they bée able too receiue the holy Ghoste if they bée the Children of Abraham if they bée heires according too the promise If Chryste commaunde them too bée receyued why are they not too bée baptized specially séeing that Baptime is a certeine sealing vp of these things ¶ Of the second WHen Mary had herd Elizabeth talk of the benefit doon too hir by God namely that shée should bée the moother of the Messias shée vttereth the thankfulnesse of hir harte towards God whome shée prayseth in this Psalme partly for that excéeding great benefite whiche happened vntoo hir and also for the mercye might and truthe whiche hée extendeth towardes men while through his mercy hée receyueth them that fear him intoo his fauour iustly punisheth the stubborn and now at length performeth that hée had promised so long ago too the fathers The vse of this Psalme is that knowing Gods mercifulnesse wée shoulde beléeue that knowing his myght wée shoulde feare and that knowing his truthe wée should hope and with pacience wait for the things that God of his grace hath promised setting his mercy ageinst sinne his might ageinst the Deuils tirannie and his truth ageinst all the temptations that the fleshe or the Deuill ministreth And for these causes the auncient Churche hathe ordeyned that euery daye in the congregation of the godly this song of the Uirgins should bée soong Nowe let vs bréefly expound euery verse 1 My soule dooth magnifie the Lord. 2 And my spirite reioyseth in God my Sauyour 3 For he hath regarded the lovvlynesse of his handmayd For beholde from henceforth all generations shal cal mee blissed This is too say I prayse God highly and am altogither set vppon gladnesse and that for God my sauiours sake For he is my ioy bicause he hath bestowed so great fauour vppon me He hath regarded and with frée fauor embraced me his lowly and base handmayde who haue liued hithertoo despysed in base estate and euen after the manner of vyle bondslaues yea and so regarded me that all ages shal frō henceforth accompt me not base and despised as before but blissed to whom so great grace is extended that I shall bée the moother of the Messias who is the sauiour of me of all that beléeue in him By Maryes exāple we may lerne first too acknowledge our own vilenesse to cast our selues down before God in true repentance Secōdly to acknowledge Gods benefits towards vs. Thirdly to praise god for his benefits fourthly too prouoke other too thankfulnesse by our exāple 4 For he that is mightie hath magnified me and holy is his name The chaste virgin maketh héere no boast of merites She attributeth nothing too hir owne power but imputeth all things vntoo God who only is mightie whose only name is holy and therfore deserueth most highly too bée reuerēced For as oft as God is named he ought too bée praysed for his holinesse which shineth foorth in all his woorks with excéeding mercy iust iudgement myghtinesse and truth according as the virgin declareth particularly in hir psalme 5 And his mercy is on them that feare him through all generations This verse teacheth thrée things First that God is mercifull Secondly how largely Gods mercy spredeth it selfe And thirdly too what persons that mercy befalleth Concerning Gods mercy there bée many notable sayinges and exāples I sayth he will bée thy God and the God of thy séede for euer Also I am the God that sheweth mercy And in Esay I am with thée bicause I am thy mercifull Lorde God And the son of Syrach Gentle merciful is God will release sinnes in the day of trouble Héerevpon Paule calleth God the father of mercies saying Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryst the father of mercies which comforteth vs in all our troubles The exāples of this mercy that hath bin shewed are many Of which the chéefest is that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that the worlde might bée saued by him Héervntoo maketh this saying So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that all that beléeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Images of this mercy are the prodigal child the Samaritane and the